Department of Commerce January 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, Public Law 110-161, 121 Stat. 1844 (2007), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce, announces the solicitation of applications for planning and construction grants for public telecommunications facilities under the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP). The PTFP assists, through matching grants, in the planning and construction of public telecommunications facilities in order to: (1) Extend delivery of services to as many citizens as possible by the most cost-effective means, including use of broadcast and non-broadcast technologies; (2) increase public telecommunications services and facilities available to, operated by, and controlled by minorities and women; (3) strengthen the capability of existing public television and radio stations to provide public telecommunications services to the public.

NMFS is adjusting the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for pollock in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because NMFS has determined these TACs are incorrectly specified. This action will ensure the GOA pollock TACs do not exceed the appropriate amount based on the best available scientific information for pollock in the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska Area (FMP).

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from India for the period January 1, 2006, through December 31, 2006, the period of review (POR). For information on the net subsidy rate for each reviewed company, see the ``Preliminary Results of Review'' section, infra. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results, see the ``Public Comment'' section, infra.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

NMFS is adjusting the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Pacific cod fishery. This action is necessary because NMFS has determined this TAC is incorrectly specified. This action will ensure the GOA Pacific cod TAC does not exceed the appropriate amount based on the best available scientific information for Pacific cod in the GOA. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska Management Area (FMP).

On September 4, 2007, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') published in the Federal Register the notice of initiation of the five-year sunset review of the countervailing duty order on carbon and certain alloy steel wire rod (``wire rod'') from Brazil, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act''). The Department has conducted an expedited sunset review of this order pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(C)(2). As a result of this sunset review, the Department finds that revocation of the countervailing duty order is likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy at the levels indicated in the ``Final Results of Review'' section of this notice.

On July 2, 2007, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') published in the Federal Register the preliminary results of the administrative review of the order on certain stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Taiwan. See Certain Stainless Steel Butt- Weld Pipe Fittings From Taiwan: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review and Notice of Intent To Rescind in Part, 72 FR 35970 (July 2, 2007) (``Preliminary Results''). The merchandise covered by this order is certain stainless steel butt-weld pipe fittings from Taiwan as described in the ``Scope of the Order'' section of this notice. The period of review (``POR'') is June 1, 2005, through May 31, 2006. We gave interested parties an opportunity to comment on the preliminary results. Based upon our analysis of the comments received, we did not make any changes to the margin calculation. The final weight-averaged dumping margin is listed below in the section titled ``Final Results of Review.''

The Interim Meetings of the 93rd National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) will be held January 27 to 30, 2008, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The majority of the meetings are open to the public, but registration is required. The NCWM is an organization of weights and measures officials of the states, counties, and cities of the United States, federal agencies, and private sector representatives. These meetings bring together government officials and representatives of business, industry, trade associations, and consumer organizations on subjects related to the field of weights and measures technology, administration and enforcement. Pursuant to (15 U.S.C. 272(b)(6)), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) supports the NCWM as one of the means it uses to solicit comments and recommendations on revising or updating a variety of publications related to legal metrology. NIST participates to promote uniformity among the states in laws, regulations, methods, and testing equipment that comprise the regulatory control of commercial weighing and measuring devices and other practices used in trade and commerce. Publication of this notice on the NCWM's behalf is undertaken as a public service; NIST does not endorse, approve, or recommend any of the proposals contained in this notice or in the publications of the NCWM mentioned below. Please see NCWM Publication 15, which contains detailed meeting agendas and schedules, registration and hotel reservation information at https://www.ncwm.net.

NMFS is specifying the final quotas for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries for 2008, 2009, and 2010. Regulations governing these fisheries require NMFS to publish the final quota specifications for the 2008-2010 fishing years. The intent of this action is to implement final specifications for allowable harvest levels of Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs from the Exclusive Economic Zone.

NMFS issues this final rule to implement a regulatory amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule reduces the minimum size limit for vermilion snapper to 10 inches (25.4 cm) total length (TL), eliminates the 10-fish recreational bag limit for vermilion snapper within the existing 20-fish aggregate reef fish bag limit, and eliminates the 40-day commercial closed season for vermilion snapper (from April 22 through May 31 each year). NMFS is also implementing through this rule clarifications for the Gulf of Mexico red snapper individual fishing quota (IFQ) program, as well as non-substantive changes to codified text, including removing obsolete language regarding the use of fish traps in the Gulf of Mexico, removing outdated and redundant language, revising phone numbers and an outdated definition, and revising incorrect references. The intended effects of this final rule are to help achieve optimum yield (OY) by reducing vermilion snapper harvest limitations consistent with the findings of the recent stock assessment and to clarify and update existing regulations.

Notice is hereby given that the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA, 98115 has been issued an amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 782-1676-01, for research on marine mammals.

NMFS announces that the State of Florida is transferring commercial bluefish quota to the State of New York from its 2007 quota. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

NMFS proposes to approve and implement changes to the Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan (Plan) for the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC or Commission) regulatory Area 2A off Washington, Oregon, and California (Area 2A). NMFS proposes to implement the portions of the Plan and management measures that are not implemented through the IPHC, which includes the sport fishery management measures for Area 2A. These actions are intended to enhance the conservation of Pacific halibut, to provide greater angler opportunity where available, and to protect yelloweye rockfish and other overfished groundfish species from incidental catch in the halibut fisheries.

The Department of Commerce (``the Department'') is conducting an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on chlorinated isocyanurates (``chlorinated isos'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') covering the period December 16, 2004, through May 31, 2006. We invited interested parties to comment on our preliminary results. Based on our analysis of the comments received, we have made changes to our margin calculations. Therefore, the final results differ from the preliminary results.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) publishes this notice to announce the effective date of a Privacy Act System of Records entitled COMMERCE/NTIA-1, Applications Related to Coupons for Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes. NTIA is creating a new system of records for applications related to coupons for the Digital-to- Analog Converter Box program. Information will be collected from individuals under the authority of Title III of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, Pub. L. No. 109-171, 120 Stat. 4, 21 (Feb. 8, 2006) (hereinafter ``the Act'') and pursuant to regulations published by NTIA in 47 C.F.R. Sec. 301. This new system of records is necessary to identify those households that qualify for and receive coupons towards the purchase of a digital-to-analog converter box.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a public meeting of the Ad Hoc Recreational Red Snapper Advisory Panel (AP).

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Council) Trawl Rationalization Tracking and Monitoring Committee (TRTMC) will hold a working meeting, which is open to the public.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Committee in January, 2008 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has begun its annual preseason management process for the 2008 ocean salmon fisheries. This document announces the availability of Council documents as well as the dates and locations of meetings and public hearings comprising a portion of the Council's schedule of events for determining the annual proposed and final modifications to ocean salmon fishery management measures. The dates and agendas for the March and April 2008 Council meetings, which are another component of the process, will be published in subsequent Federal Register documents prior to the actual meetings.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the availability of the Proposed Columbia River Estuary Endangered Species Act (ESA) Recovery Plan Module for Salmon and Steelhead (Estuary Module) for public review and comment. The Estuary Module was developed to meet the estuary recovery needs of all ESA-listed salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin. The Estuary Module will be incorporated by reference into all Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead recovery plans to guide salmon and steelhead recovery in the Columbia River estuary. The Estuary Module was prepared by the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership, under contract to NMFS. At this time, NMFS is soliciting review and comment from the public and all interested parties on the proposed Estuary Module.